Improved car-coupling



H. ADKINS.

Car Coupling.

Patented Sept. 18, 1866.

Inventor:

Witnesses:

AM. PHOTO-LITHO. CO. NM (OSSORNES PRCCESS.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOMER ADKINS, OF PLYMOUTH, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVED CAR-COUPLING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,041, dated September 18, 1866. Y

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HOMER ADKINS, of Plymouth, Hancock county, and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Gar- Goupling; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are side sectional views of the draw-heads of two adjoining cars provided with my improvement; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section of Fig. 1 taken in the line 00 00; Fig. 4, a front view of the draw-head shown in Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates toa new and improved car-couplin g of that class which are commonly termed self-actin g or self-coupling; and it consists in a novel means forholding up the coupling-pin in onedraw-head, whereby the other draw-head, which contains the link may, when the two draw-heads come in contact, release the coupling-pin, so that it may drop through the link, provision being also made for holding the link so that a coupling of the two draw-heads may be elfected or not, as desired.

A A represent the draw-heads of the ad joining ends of two cars, the draw-heads being applied to the cars in the usual or any proper manner.

To the upper surface of the draw-head A there is attached a bar, B, the upper part of which is curved or bent in bow form, and has a curved or hook-shaped bar, 0, attached to it by a central pivot, a, the upper end of the bar U being notched or made in hook form, so that it may fit over the upper end of a bar, D, also attached to the upper surface of the draw-head A, and curved at its upper part.

E represents the coupling-pin, which is fitted and works vertically in holes b I) made in the upper and lower parts of the draw-head A, and has a spiral spring, F, around it above the draw-head, said spring having a tendency to keep the coupling-pin forced down in the drawhead. This coupling-pin is held up by a ring, 0, which is fitted in its upper end, being adjusted over the upper end of the bar D in front of the forked or notched end of the pivoted bar 0. (See Fig. 1.) hen the pin E is thus held up the link G of the other drawhead, A, may enter the draw-head A.

The link G is secured in the draw-head A by afixed pin, H, and to the upper surface of the draw-head A there is secured a vertical bar, I, having a rack, d, at its rear edge, and a spiral spring, J, on its upper part.

K is aframe, which may be constructed of a single bar bent so as to form two side pieces, 0 e, and a top piece, f, as shown clearlyin Fig. 4, the lower ends of the side pieces, 0 0, being connected by a rod, 9. The side pieces, 0 6, above the draw-head A are connected by a cross-bar, h, and the bar-I passes loosely through the center of the top piece of the frame K. This frame K may be raised and retained at. a greater or less height by the cross-bar IL catching into rack d of bar I. The object of this adjustable frame K is to support the link G, so that it may be in proper position to enter the draw-head A, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) the link resting on rod g. hen it is not designed that the cars should couple, the frame K is not raised, and the link not being supported in a horizontal position it cannot enter drawhead A.

\When the coupling-pin E is held up, as shown in Fig. 1, and the link G of the drawhead A enters draw-head A, as the draw-heads approach each other, and when the draw-heads A A are nearly in contact, the bar I will strike the lower end of the hooked bar 0 and the upper end of the latter will draw the ring 0 off from the bar D, and the pin E will be forced by the spring F down through link G and the draw-head A, and the coupling. effected.

The coupling-pin-E and frame K may be raised by chains or cords from the platforms or tops of the cars.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent The adjustable frame K with cross-bar h, and cross-rod 9, attached in combination with the rack-bar 1, spring J, and link G, all arranged and applied to the draw-head A, to operate substantially as and for the purpose. set forth.

HOMER ADKINS.

Vitnesses:

G. H. YOUNG, JAY DENIS. 

